Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claimed that one in every 59 American children is diagnosed with autism, and in 2000, up from one in every 150. Their report included close to half a million people on the spectrum of autism will become adult over the following decade, and the country is not prepared for such a swelling tide.
Since there has been a steady rise in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its obstinate resistance to treatment has incited a group of researchers to get on the field and explore the disability in innovative ways.
At present, some of the effective treatments for ASD are speech and social therapy, behavioral therapy, and dietary and nutritional approaches. To cure symptoms of ASD such as repetitive behavior and social communication difficulties, however, no medical treatment has been approved.
The autism research has one promising avenue that involves the gut microbiome, which is the collection of microbes that exist in our intestines and helps us in several ways such as training our immune system, digestion of our foods, and preventing overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Also suggested by research is that our microbes also affects neurological health and brain communication. Interest all over the world is spreading about the concept that changes in normal gut microbes may be responsible for inciting a massive array of diseases.
The Scientific Reports by Arizona State University researchers Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown, Ph.D., James Adams, PH.D., and lead author Dae-Wook Kang, PH.D., published a new study called - "Long-Term benefit of Microbiota Transfer Therapy in Autism Symptoms and Gut Microbiota."
The research reveals the long-term advantage effects for children diagnosed with ASD through a revolutionary technique referred to as MTT, Microbiota Transfer Therapy, a special kind of fecal transplant that Dr. Thomas Borody, an Australian gastroenterologist, pioneered. It is remarkable that there are considerable improvements in gut health and autism symptoms appear to persist long after treatment.
The significant parts of the initial improvements in gut symptoms remained at two years' post-treatment. Also reported by the parents is the slow, steady reduction of ASD symptoms during treatment as well as beyond the next two years. According to a professional evaluator, there was a 45 percent reduction in core ASD symptoms which are social interaction, behavior, and language, at two years post-treatment compared to before treatment began.
A professor at the Biodesign Swette Center for Environment Biotechnology at the Biodesign Institute, Krajmalnik-Brown claimed that they are finding a powerful connection between the microbes that reside in human intestines and signals that travel to the brain. He further said that it is incredible that two years later, the children are doing even better.
